Chicken Alfredo (No Cream)

This easy chicken alfredo is a quick and easy weeknight meal that is on the table in less than 30 minutes. Made with just a handful of ingredients, this chicken pasta is made without cream yet is still wonderfully rich and creamy.

overhead view of a serving of chicken alfredo on a white plate.

What’s in this Chicken Alfredo Recipe?

Quick and easy to make, this chicken alfredo is a great addition to your weekly meal plan. It’s made without any cream, yet still rich and flavorful!

Cooked Chicken Breasts: This recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken breasts. You can use sliced or cubed cooked chicken. You can also use cooked chicken thighs if you prefer.
Kosher Salt: Helps to season the pasta water, adding rich flavor to this dish.
Fettuccini: The best noodle, in my opinion, for alfredo.
Pasta Cooking Water: Don’t forget to reserve 2 cups of the water you cooked the pasta in before draining it. This is crucial to creating a creamy sauce.
Butter: Unsalted butter helps bump up the creaminess of this sauce.
Parmesan Cheese: Be sure to use good-quality, freshly-shredded Parmesan cheese for the best tasting sauce.
Black Pepper: An optional addition that helps elevate this dish.
Parsley: I love garnishing my pasta dishes with parsley for a pop of color.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have leftover chicken on hand, sauté diced chicken breasts in a bit of butter and olive oil, then remove them from the pan before adding the pasta water.

Variations on Chicken Alfredo Pasta

You can change up the taste of this chicken alfredo by swapping out the Parmesan for Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese. You can also swap out the cooked chicken for cooked steak or sausages. For a spicier take on chicken alfredo, add some crushed red pepper flakes into the cheese sauce.

step by step photos for how to make chicken alfredo.

What’s the best chicken to use in Chicken Alfredo?

You can use any chicken in this dish, just make sure that it is full cooked before adding it to the pasta. You can use pre-cooked cubed chicken from the store or cook your oven breast or thighs in the oven or on the skillet.

Is chicken alfredo creamy?

This easy chicken alfredo recipe doesn’t use any cream, yet it is creamy, silky, and rich in flavor. The “cream” is developed by the emulsion of pasta water, butter, and Parmesan cheese – so be sure to remember to reserve that pasta water!

What’s the best pasta to use for chicken alfredo?

I like to use fettuccini in this recipe – it is a fairly wide noodle so it catches all that amazing sauce. Any dried or fresh pasta will of course work, but I prefer to use a long pasta. Linguine and spaghetti will both work well.

three-quarters view of a serving of chicken alfredo on a white plate.

How to Store and Reheat this Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Store leftover chicken alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts until hot or in a skillet set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

What to Serve with Homemade Chicken Alfredo

Serve chicken alfredo with garlic bread or rosemary focaccia and an Italian salad. You could also serve it with a side of roasted veggies!

a forkful of chicken alfredo hovering above a serving of chicken alfredo on a white plate.

Chicken Alfredo Recipe (No Cream)

This easy chicken alfredo is a quick and easy weeknight meal that is on the table in less than 30 minutes. Made with just a handful of ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings people

Calories 1021kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Ingredients

4 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced (or 4 cups cooked cubed chicken – see note)
Kosher salt to taste
12 ounces dry fettuccini or other long pasta (¾ box)
2 cups reserved pasta cooking water divided
¾ cup unsalted butter cubed (1½ sticks)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves; optional, for garnish

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta, stirring often, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

12 ounces dry fettuccini, Kosher salt
Set a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 1-cup pasta water. Bring just to a low simmer, then whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter, one piece at a time, until melted.

2 cups reserved pasta cooking water, ¾ cup unsalted butter
Gradually add the cheese, whisking constantly, being sure it is melted and incorporated thoroughly before adding each addition.

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Whisk in the additional 1-cup pasta water.
Add the pasta and mix to coat until noodles are covered in sauce.
(Note – if using cubed chicken, add it now and mix well.)
Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Freshly ground black pepper
Cook over low heat, about 3-5 minutes, just until the pasta absorbs most of the liquid. Stir often to avoid scorching the cheese-covered pasta.
To serve, place ¼ of the pasta on a plate and add 1 sliced chicken breast.

4 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Top with a heaping helping of grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves.

Chopped fresh parsley

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.

Chicken: Any type of cooked chicken breasts or a combination of light and dark chicken meat can be used. Four chicken breasts equal about 4 cups cut-up chicken meat.
Do not use margarine in place of the butter.
If using salted butter, do not add any kosher salt.
The final outcome of this recipe will be determined by the quality of the ingredients, especially the butter and Parmesan cheese. No cream is used, so the “cream” is developed by the emulsion of pasta water, butter, and Parmesan cheese. The final result is fantastic.

Storage: Store chicken alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.